The Greatest City in Oz
by elledottore
Summary: The three future witches of Oz go to the Emerald City on spring break. AU-ish. Gelphie friendship, some sister fluff, and the tiniest bit of Fiyeraba.


**So, I hit a huge wall on Memories. I highly doubt I'm going back to it. Then, I decided to write this one shot that Lifelong Leahstar suggested I do after my Schuyler Sisters parody, Looking for a Mind at Work. That turned into this five page monster. I thought about splitting it up into chapters, but I think it works best as a one shot.**

 **Enjoy!**

The Greatest City in Oz

One Shot

Nessarose was trying to do her history homework one afternoon, though she always found it hard to get any work done in Madam Morrible's suite, which for some reason always smelled like dead fish. But just when she was about to give up and go to the library, Morrible herself came in. "Letter for you, Miss Nessarose," she told her charge cheerfully, putting an envelope on Nessa's desk. "It's from your father. Now, I hate to be here for such a short time, but I must go buy some frogs. I plan to have your sister practice turning them into toads at our next seminar. Will you be alright, dearie?"

"Yes, Madame," Nessa answered, debating with herself over whether it was rude to start opening her letter while Morrible was still there.

"Splendid, dearie. I shan't be long."

Her father's letter had its usual adoring preamble about how much he missed her, and how much he was looking forward to seeing her over spring break. But then he told her what they would be doing over spring break. He had been called to the Emerald City to discuss Munchkinland's relationship with the rest of Oz with a representative of the Wizard. They would be staying at a hotel in Linbrook, a suburb of the EC.

Just as Nessa would have guessed, Elphaba was unenthusiastic about their trip to the EC, but Glinda started jumping up and down when she heard the news, squealing to the Thropp sisters that she was so jealous that they were going to be THAT close to THAT many shoes. And that got Nessa thinking. Glinda wanted to go to the Emerald City. Elphaba and Glinda had become pretty good friends over the past semester; Nessa imagined they were going to miss each other greatly …

 _My dear Father,_

 _I'm so excited to hear we're going to the Emerald City! Your letter made my day! Fabala's excited too, of course. But I have a new friend, Glinda, whom I'm really going to miss. She's always wanted to see the Emerald City, so would it be too much trouble to invite her to come along with us? She really wouldn't be a bother at all; she's the sweetest thing you will ever meet, so will you please at least consider it, Father?_

 _Love,_

 _Nessa_

In the end, Nessa's powers over her father worked. Frexspar assured Mr. and Mrs. Upland that their daughter would be safe with him, and of course, when Glinda found out that she was going to the Emerald City, she shrieked fairly loudly, causing Elphaba to say, "Glin, _please._ Some of us would like to be able to hear when we're forty."

Soon after, spring break arrived. Fiyero and Boq had a joint vacation planned too: Fiyero had invited Boq to stay at Audron Iir, one of his family's castles, to give Boq a respite from Munchkinland's hot climate. The five friends all promised to exchange letters throughout the break, Fiyero especially insisting to Elphaba that he must hear from her, otherwise he would miss his daily dose of "Elphabaness."

Then came the three hour long journey to Linbrook. Frexspar was charmed by Glinda's bubbly personality, and was soon deeply involved in a discussion with her about Glikkish culture. Meanwhile, Elphaba and Nessa, who were sitting in the back of the carriage, tried to avoid looking at each other for fear of breaking out into riotous laughter.

The Thropps, though they didn't often show it, were one of the richest families in Oz, right up there with the Uplands and the bon Cavelishs, so Frexspar could easily afford the Interprovidcial, the finest hotel in Linbrook. He had two rooms booked: one for himself and one for the girls. Elphaba and Glinda had a fierce but quick squabble over who would get the rollaway bed.

"I'm your guest," Glinda insisted. "I would be more than happy to-…"

"Exactly, you're our guest," Elphaba interrupted firmly. "And I can't lift Nessa out of that bed. Therefore, the issue is naturally settled. I'm taking the rollaway, and that's the end of it!"

The three girls stayed up late that night. Glinda decided to give Nessa and Elphaba makeovers; the former genuinely enjoyed it, the latter managed to sit through it despite thinking that some of Glinda's beauty tools looked like instruments of torture. When Elphaba quietly shared this thought with her sister, Glinda called from the other side of the room, "I heard that, Elphie!" This caused them all to laugh, not just at the present situation, but also from relief that they were finally on vacation.

"Keep it down in there, girls," Frexspar said from behind the connecting door. "It's getting a little late."

"Yes, Daddy," Nessa called back in a false high voice, bringing on even more mirth from all three of them. But eventually, they tired themselves out and got to bed.

The next day, Frexspar's meetings began, and he left his daughters and their friend with a hundred Ozma coins and, "This is money for you to spend in the city should you wish to go. Just don't go too far into downtown, and be back here by nightfall. And Fabala?"

"Yes, Father?" she replied, surprised that he was using her nickname.

"Take care of your sister."

"Yes, Father."

Giving Elphaba a mini heart attack from shock, her father gave her the smallest and briefest of smiles. "Alright. You girls have fun!"

Shortly after Frexspar left, Elphaba moved to get a book from her suitcase when Glinda blocked her path. "Oh no you don't, little Miss Thropp. Your father basically gave us permission to go to the Emerald City. He even gave us _money._ We're going! Just a mile or so of the Yellow Brick Road to walk, and we'll be there. Who's with me?"

"I don't know, Glinda," Nessa said. "Daddy told us not to go into downtown. I don't want us to get lost."

"We won't get lost," Elphaba insisted. "On our way up here yesterday, I snagged a map of the EC from the lobby. We'll be fine."

"You're on my side?!" Glinda asked, surprised.

Elphaba shrugged. "I wanna see the Forest Library. It's supposed to be the biggest library in Oz."

"I never thought your obsession with books would ever work to my advantage! Let's go!" Nessa didn't even have a chance to protest before Elphaba started pushing her out of their room and towards the EC.

It only took them about an hour to reach the gate of the Emerald City. Glinda was so excited at this point that she took the initiative and knocked. She was answered by a guard who seemed to be half asleep. "Purpose in entering the city?"

"Oh, we're just three college girls on spring break who wish to see the glamour of the Emerald City!" Glinda said jovially.

"Names?" the guard grunted.

"I'm Glinda Upland, of the Upper Uplands. The 'Ga' is silent."

"He didn't need to know that last part," Elphaba mumbled into Glinda's ear.

"Shut up." Glinda turned back to the guard. "And these are the Misses Elphaba and Nessarose Thropp."

The guard grew more interested at that. "Frexspar's daughters? Well! No tourist pass needed! If anybody hassles you, tell 'em Hammy let you in. You're good to go! And welcome to the Emerald City."

The gates opened, Glinda squealed, and the girls were at first shocked by how much green there was. The streets, the sidewalks, the houses, even most of the people were dressed in some shade of green. "Oh my Oz …" Nessa breathed. "It's …"

"Beautiful …" Glinda finished for her. "This … this is way better than Momsie and Popsie's descriptions. Look at this place!"

"Look at Fabala," Nessa corrected with a smirk. "I think she's in heaven right now."

They looked to see Elphaba a few feet ahead of them, walking uncharacteristically slowly, gawking at the green houses and buildings with wonder. Glinda grabbed Nessa's handlebars and rushed to catch up to Elphaba. "So, Elphie," Glinda started cheerfully. "Going to the EC's not such a bad idea after all, is it?"

"I'm going to live here," Elphaba announced almost in a dreamlike state. "Soon as we graduate, I'm telling Father I'm done dealing with his baggage, and I'm moving here. Wizard or no."

"Eee! Me too! This city is amazifying. Hey Elphie, when you're Vizier, maybe you could make me somebody important, like … I don't know … Head Beautifcater or something, and then I could live here too!"

Elphaba grinned in amusement. "I'll see what I can do, Glin. Right now, I should probably focus on becoming Vizier first."

They walked along the main road of the EC, trying to get to Ozma Plaza, which, according to Glinda, was the best place to shop. And, of course, on the way, Glinda babbled about how "amazifying" these shops were supposed to be. "… And ShenShen told me that Dika's has stacks of shoes covering all four walls! Isn't that the best thing you've ever heard?! And Pfannee says-…"

"Hey! Pretty girl!"

The trio turning to see a young man sitting on the steps of his house, grinning at them. "Who, me?" Glinda asked, torn between being flattered by a compliment and being annoyed at getting catcalled.

"No, you," the man said, pointing to Elphaba. "How'd you get yourself lookin' like that?"

"I-I don't know," Elphaba answered honestly. _This man really thinks I'm attractive?_ "I was born like this."

The man's eyes bugged out. "You were just born like that? Wow! That is the coolest thing I've heard in a long time! You know, every summer we have Green Day over at Ozma Plaza, and you would fit right in, you know? 'Cause we paint our faces green to celebrate Oz's wealth and stuff, but you don't even have to do that! You look amazing!"

"Well … thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetheart! Have a nice day!"

Once they were out of earshot, Glinda exclaimed, "Elphie! You just got hit on! I don't think you've ever gotten hit on before. He called you pretty!"

"And I have an astounding revelation for you, Glin," Elphaba said. "I don't care."

"Yes, you do," Nessa insisted. "She does, Glinda. She's just too proud to admit it."

"Shut up, both of you," Elphaba groaned, trying to cover up the fact that Nessa was absolutely right.

They soon reached Ozma Plaza, which was packed with people, including one unfortunate man who tripped and fell backwards into Nessa's lap, causing him to get an earful from Elphaba. But Glinda, who was used to navigating the bustling cities of Gilikin, helped the sisters weave through the crowds and get into Sarima's, the first shop she wanted to go to. They went to about four shops that morning, Glinda coming away with about ten new outfits, Nessa with four, and Elphaba with one blue dress that Glinda had to cajole her into buying.

"I'm telling you, Elphie," Glinda said as they left their last shop of the morning. "That dress will look SO good on you! I swear to Lurline."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "If you say so, Glin. Hey look, there's a bakery over there. Who's up for some croissants?"

"I could eat," Nessa said, shrugging.

"Wonderful. Glin?"

Glinda sighed. "Alright. I must admit, I am getting a little hungry too. And I bet the croissants here are a hundred times better than the ones at Shiz!"

The bakery had outside seating, so once the girls had gotten their food, they decided to eat outside to enjoy the nice day. "Alright, Glinda, you picked where we went this morning, so now it's my turn," Elphaba announced as they ate. "We're going to the Forest Library. And I know that may seem like a snore to the two of you, but Glin, I know your secret."

Glinda's eyes widened. "That FiFi and I are-…"

"No, not that secret. You love architecture! The Forest Library was designed by Frenco Leaman, one of the greatest architects Oz has ever known! And I think-…"

"Well, if it isn't the three witches of Shiz." They all turned to see Averic walking towards them. "Or, should I say, the three bitches."

"Go to hell, Averic," Nessa snapped, in a rare display of ferocity. "You'll certainly end up there eventually."

"But where will you be, Roller Derby? Tsk, tsk. The virtuous daughters of Governor Thropp, slumming in the Emerald City. What a scandal!"

"Tenmeadows, you disgust me," Elphaba spat at him.

"Ah, so you've discussed me," Averic countered, smirking proudly at his own witticism. "I can't be too disgusting to you if you've thought about me for that long, Green Bean."

"Really, how childish!" Glinda exclaimed, smacking down her teacup. "You can't manage to be pleasant for even two clock ticks, can you?!"

Averic chuckled. "Oh, Princess. If you and Tigulaar ever break up, I'll show you just how pleasant I can be."

"Get gone, Tenmeadows," Elphaba ordered. "You're not wanted here."

Averic put his hands up in mock defeat. "Alright. I'm going. But listen, Green Bean, Roller Derby. You're not wanted here either. I hope your dear daddy goes to war with us. We'll crush you little Munchkinlanders!" He walked away, chortling.

"War?!" Glinda asked, alarmed. "What did he mean by that?"

Elphaba sighed. "As much as I would like to say that Averic is full of bullshit, he is right about that. Father is thinking about seceding from Oz. That's what his meeting today is about. We're trying to negotiate a peaceful secession, but I doubt that's going to happen."

"But – you can't go to war with Oz!" Glinda whined. "'Cause then we couldn't be friends!"

"Of course we could be friends, Glin. We just might have to be a little more discreet about it, that's all."

"I don't want Daddy to go to war," Nessa said. "Of course, I agree with him that secession is necessary, and war might be necessary too, but I don't want him getting hurt. Or jailed. Or executed."

"Father's a smart man; he'll be fine," Elphaba reassured her. "And Madam Morrible has told me that Munchkinland's secession will not affect my status with the Wizard. Good thing, too, because when I meet him, I'm gonna tell him to step up on women's rights. Maybe that'll show Maurgreve Asshole." Glinda giggled at that, and Nessa gave a small chuckle.

They proceeded to the Forest Library, where Elphaba proved that she could be just as gluttonous as Glinda about the things she enjoyed. Glinda and Nessa went to the small coffee shop in the library for about an hour, and when they came back, they found Elphaba in the Historical Fiction section, nose deep in a book, with about a dozen other books in a pile around her. "Hey, Elphie, we're back!" Glinda said cheerfully.

Nessa laughed and shook her head. "Nice try, Glinda. But when Fabala's this deep into a book, there's only one thing you can do." She smirked, rolled behind her sister, and suddenly seized her shoulders. "Hello, Fabala!"

Elphaba emitted the shortest scream Glinda had ever heard, and put her hand on her heart upon seeing her sister. "Sweet Oz, Nessa! You're going to be the death of me one of these days!"

Meanwhile, Glinda was giggling up a storm. "Nessa, you're a genius! I'm going to have to try that sometime."

"Don't you dare, Glinda Upland!" Elphaba said with a fake glare. "If you do, I will … burn your rose skirt!"

"But that's my favorite one!"

"I know."

"Alright, you two, can we go?" Nessa pleaded. "The library closes in ten clock ticks, and I want to be back at the hotel by the time Father gets back."

So, after a lot of haggling, Elphaba convinced the librarian to sell her the novel _An Emerald Night,_ and the three girls headed back to Linbrook. Frexspar arrived back shortly after, with a tomato pie as a treat for the four of them. They didn't tell him much when he asked about their day. In the end, he decided he really didn't want to know.

Five years later, the Wicked Witch of the West was pacing the floor of Kiamo Ko, when that day in the Emerald City randomly came to her mind. Munchkinland's secession never came to pass; when Nessarose became governor, she had realigned her province with Loyal Oz to help them find her disgrace of a sister. And now she was lost to Elphaba forever. The Witch watched her sister's murderer and her strange friends as they entered the Emerald City. She noticed that the little farm girl looked just as happy as she had been when she first entered what she thought was the greatest city in Oz.

 **That is that! Hope you enjoyed this mega one shot, and more will be coming soon.**

 **Thanks for reading!  
Cheers,**

 **Elle Dottore**


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